New York State voters trust Gov. Andrew Cuomo more than the teachers' union 50 - 38 percent
"to protect the interests of New York State public school students," according to a Quinnipiac
University poll released today. Voters with children in public school trust the governor more
than the union 51 - 38 percent. Voters in union households back Cuomo 47 - 42 percent.

Voters give Gov. Cuomo a slim 45 - 42 percent approval rating for the way he is handling
education, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. By
overwhelming margins, however, they support Cuomo's school reform proposals:

64 - 31 percent support for merit pay for "outstanding" teachers;

67 - 26 percent, including 58 - 34 percent in union households and 73 - 25 percent
among public school parents, support for making it easier to fire teachers;

87 - 9 percent, including 79 - 15 percent in union households and 89 - 9 percent among
parents, support for basing teacher layoffs on performance rather than seniority.

By a 49 - 23 percent margin, New York State voters have a favorable opinion of their
public school teachers. Public school parents like teachers 54 - 23 percent.

But voters say 50 - 37 percent, including 53 - 38 percent among parents, that the
teachers' union plays a negative rather than a positive role in improving the state education
system. Voters in union households split 43 - 44 percent.

"'Consider me the lobbyist for the students,' Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last month, and
New Yorkers believe him. They trust him more than the teachers' union to look out for the kids
and they support by margins of 2-1 up to 9-1 proposals to reform the schools," said Maurice
Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"New York City voters did not provide that level of trust for Mayor Michael Bloomberg
when they told us they trusted the teachers' union more than the mayor to look out for the kids."

"The teachers union is a political punching bag these days, and New York voters share
that negative view. Does the union play a positive role? New Yorkers say no. Support for the
union isn't high even in union households," Carroll added.

"And on the big three issues - merit pay, making it easier to fire bad teachers and ending
LIFO (last in; first out) in deciding on layoffs - the union loses.

"But, even if they don't like the teachers' union, New Yorkers like their kids' teachers."

New York State voters say 54 - 34 percent that banning the rental of public school
buildings for church services is a bad idea.

Voters disagree 61 - 33 percent with the argument that allowing the rental of public
school buildings for church use is an improper mixing of church and state.

But voters also disagree 60 - 33 percent that the ban on such rentals is an improper attack
on religion.

New York State voters seem to be confused or disinterested by the latest developments
in the issue of legislative redistricting:

68 percent of voters don't know whether or not state legislators kept their 2010 campaign
promise to support an independent commission to create legislative district lines;

67 percent say they heard nothing about the new district lines created by state legislators;

71 percent don't know whether or not they approve of these lines;

66 percent don't know whether or not they want the governor to veto these lines.

"Politicians watch the redistricting dance with fascination. After all, it affects their
future. But voters can't or won't follow this important - but not very sexy - issue," Carroll said.

From February 8 - 13, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,233 New York State voters with
a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter.

20. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Andrew Cuomo is handling education?

30. As you may know, charter schools are operated by private or non-profit organizations. The schools are paid for with public funds. Do you think there should be an expansion of charter schools in New York State or not?

40. When they were running for election in 2010, most state legislators promised they would support having an independent commission create district lines for electing state legislators and members of Congress. Do you believe these legislators kept their promise or not, or don't you know?